The Safest Places To Travel In 2017

As a traveler, safety is always on your mind. And with all the scary things going on in the world at the moment, it is no wonder!

Despite the fact that there are so many places you might not want to visit, the list of safe places to travel is still quite large.
If you take a look at the map from Vision of Humanity, who keep tabs of the safest countries to travel, you will see a lot of green – which means safe, places to go!

So, what are some of the safest places to travel in 2017?

Let’s take a look…

Switzerland

It is no surprise to me, as someone who lives in Switzerland that it makes it to number 7 on the list.

Switzerland does not participate in wars so has few enemies. But, it also has one of the largest armies in the world – per head of population. With most able-bodied men between 18 and 35 being in the army.

And as a client of mine recently said to me on Skype:

My daughter wanted to extend her overseas trip and travel solo, so I told her there was no safer place than Switzerland.

And he is almost 100% correct. You can safely walk anywhere in Switzerland. Even at night, it is rare to have any form of confrontation or robbery. I won’t say “none, but it is rare.

Iceland

Iceland always seems to make it to number one on the list of safe countries. Perhaps that is because it is more remote and smaller than Switzerland (and other countries). They are almost forgotten on the world scene, stuck out there in the middle of the Atlantic.

Iceland, like Switzerland, is also stunningly beautiful. It is just a little more difficult to get around, with only one major ring road. And it tends to be colder and rain a lot. But if you strike it lucky, in summer, you will be blown away by the scenery.

Canada

Having just gotten back from a short trip to the Yukon and Vancouver, it does not surprise me that Canada is seen as one of the safest countries in the world. I even traveled and lived there back in 1997, and hitch-hiked extensively.

Canada is super friendly and super safe. In many quieter places, they even leave their doors unlocked (the people in the Yukon do). That is certainly a sign of how safe people feel, and how safe it probably is.

But it is not all about safety. Canada also has some amazing places to visit like:

The Rockies

The Yukon

Niagara Falls

Great cities like: Vancouver, Montreal, Toronto

New Zealand

Like Iceland, New Zealand is far enough away from everything to be super safe. It is also home to some of the Southern hemisphere’s best scenery, and most friendly people. And as an Aussie, I am happy to say that (despite the rivalry between Australia and NZ).

Whether you stick to the North or the South Island, it does not matter. New Zealand has some stunning places to visit. Glaciers, lakes, volcanoes, modern cities, beautiful beaches and some great wine!

Japan

If you have traveled overseas a lot, and run into any Japanese tourists you will know how friendly and polite they are. So, it goes without saying that heading to one of the more mysterious destinations on this list is a must.

Japan is amazingly safe and modern, but still has a strong hold on tradition and protection of nature. It reminds me of an Asian version of Switzerland!

With all the terrorism that has been happening in Europe over the last few years, people are right to be a little timid when it comes to visiting Europe.

But, like with Switzerland and Iceland, there are a lot of countries that have little to do with the conflicts and have not been a target of any terrorism.

So, if you are looking to add some other European gems to your next trip, try these countries.

Denmark is stunning in the summer and its capital Copenhagen is one of the hippest places in Europe.

Austria is almost a second cousin of Switzerland with a huge proportion of the Alps, some of Europes best customer service and of course Vienna!

The Czech Republic also has Prague, a capital up there with the best.

Slovenia is quite a small country tucked in just between Italy and Croatia, but it has almost everything. Mountains, cities, beaches and friendly people.

And Portugal, often overshadowed by Spain has not only some great cities (Porto, Lisbon) but also some amazing coastlines and beaches, as well as some tasty wine. It is also a great place to head late in summer when the rest of Europe is getting a bit chilly!

Other Safe Countries To Travel To

According to the list, the above are the safest 10 countries in the world. But let’s be honest, there are a lot more great places to visit where you are still pretty darn safe!

There is Australia, Costa Rica, Chile, Bhutan, a lot of Southern Africa, Mongolia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand and many more.

Apart from the occasional random terror act, the rest of Europe is also pretty safe. From Scandinavia (Sweden, Norway, Finland) to Spain, there are not many places I am scared to travel to. Of course, Germany, France, the UK and Spain have all seen terror in the recent past, but let’s be honest, the chances of it happening to you is way less than having a fatal car accident.

Note: This debate reminds me of the people who hate flying – people think it’s dangerous, but in reality you are better of walking than driving a car, not avoiding planes or countries where there was one terror strike.

There are some places that are more dangerous, like Turkey, which has seen too many terror attacks lately. I wanted to go back, but have avoided it.

Most of South America is considered way more dangerous than Europe, but I felt pretty safe there for 6 months back in 2013 (from Ecuador to Chile/Argentina).

So, if you are concerned about your safety, try the top ten safest places to travel in 2017. But, don’t get too paranoid!

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